"Without a Racket, Without Noise, Without Stress": How Champions Rebuild Themselves Far from the Courts

Between total disconnection and intensive work, champions go through three crucial stages that the public never sees but that make all the difference.

© AFP

Arthur Millot

le 12/12/2025 à 16h06

2 min to read

Alcaraz Carlos Djokovic Novak Extraits de Dossiers Sabalenka Aryna Sinner Jannik

Phase 1 — Total Disconnection

This is the most invisible but often the most decisive part.

For 10 to 15 days, champions voluntarily disappear, without a racket, without a court, sometimes even without physical activity. A radical disconnection, essential to erase the micro-traumas of a suffocating season and regain a fresh mind.

And the destinations speak volumes about each one's needs:

- Carlos Alcaraz escapes to his home in El Palmar, between media silence and family cocoon.

- Novak Djokovic cuts himself off from the world at Amanyara, one of the most luxurious resorts in the Caribbean.

- Aryna Sabalenka opts for the absolute serenity of the Maldives.

- Jannik Sinner, on the other hand, bets on Dubai, for a double effect: rest and direct transition to a meticulously planned pre-season.

Phase 2 — Starting from Scratch: Gentle and Strategic Resumption

When the break is digested, the machine restarts, slowly but surely.

The resumption is done through jogging, cycling, swimming, mobility, core strengthening, everything except a hasty return to the balls.

The goal: rebuild endurance, strengthen posture and shoulders, protect the back and joints, and avoid any long-term injury.

Phase 3 — The Moment of Truth: Intensive Training

When the body is ready, it's time for the most difficult part. The third phase is the most demanding: interval training, plyometrics, and especially a return to the racket.

This is also the only time of the year when players can deeply repair or transform their game: a revised serve, a reinvented footwork, a repositioned tactical plan.

Find the full investigation on Tennis Temple

"Tennis: The Little-Known Truths About the Off-Season, Between Rest, Stress, and Physical Survival" available by clicking here.